The world we live in tends to be on the cynical side and for fair reasons. It’s hard not to fall into its traps. That’s why it’s important to have reminders that things can get better. We need more optimism in our lives. Optimism tends to come in the form of people, but this time optimism comes in the form of a book. I’m talking about “Marvin’s Book: The Story of a Professor and a Promise,” by Dr. M Soldani Lemon.

On the surface this book is about Dr. Lemon’s attempt to write a book dedicated to a former student, Marvin Mark Scott, who died in 2000 in a car accident while on his way to school. It’s also about living through grief; it’s about her students and their occasional slip up on a test; it’s about giving someone in need a helping hand. It’s about loving every moment of life and letting the light shine through the dark.

The book’s structure is structured in a staggered way that keeps the pace high, and it does it effortlessly. The book is interspersed with actual small pieces of writing from her former students. The only real flaw I have with the book is that it’s too short. The story doesn’t feel incomplete but there are opportunities to expand. Having said that, the branches outside of the main narrative keep the book afloat, and they also bring little moments of joy as the rest of the book does.

Odds are you’ll tear up during this book. There’s a sense of emotional honesty that rings true throughout. Even though this is her first novel, Dr. Lemon’s voice is strong enough that the emotional moments hit home as if you’re experiencing them yourself. The entire novel is like that. Lucky for us, Dr. Lemon only writes stories with happy endings, and this one certainly does.